Pope Francis has sent this telegram to the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid, Carlos Osoro. In it, he expresses sorrow for the explosion of a parish building. The pope also asked the Cardinal to share 'his closeness and affection to the clergy and all the children of this beloved community during these difficult times.'
The explosion caused a great shock in the Spanish capital. All the evidence points to a gas leak that caused the complete destruction of several floors and the death of four people.
Two of them were bystanders passing through the street when the building's facade was blown off. Another deceased was Rubén Pérez, a 36-year-old priest. Through a message on Twitter, Cardinal Carlos Osoro recalled that he had ordained the priest just seven months ago. He belonged to the Neocatechumenal Way.
Also deceased was David Santos, the 34-year-old electrician. He was the father of four children. He and the priest were checking a malfunction in the building's boiler, which housed several parish facilities, such as a Caritas office and a clergy house.
Javier Romero
Translation: Christian Campos
